Accra, March 19, GNA – Black Stars Head Coach Charles K. Akonnor has named his final 29-man squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe.
The team consists of nine local-based players with the 20 plying their trade abroad.
Coach Akonnor who has been training with home-based players in Accra for the past four weeks settled on nine home-based players for the crucial two games.
They include Gladson Awako, Joseph Esso, Ismael Ganiyu, Razak Abalora, Eric Ofori Antwi and Kwame Opoku and Black Satellites trio, Danlad Ibrahim, Philemon Baffuor and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku.
Coach Akonnor also extended an invitation to Stephen Ambrosius of Hamburger SV in Germany, Kamal Sowah of OH Leuven in Belgium, Kwasi Okyere Wriedt of Willem II in Holland, Kwame Afriyie Opoku of Colchester United, Osman Bukari of Gent and Emmanuel Gyasi of Spezia FC in Italy to earn their debut call-ups to the Senior National team.
Ghana would take on South Africa on March 25 in Johannesburg before engaging Sao Tome and Principe on four days later at the Accra Sports stadium.
The Black Stars sit at the summit of Group C with 9 points and are in search of one of the tickets to the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Herein the full squad
Goalkeepers: Richard Ofori (Orlando Pirates – South Africa), Razak Abalora (Asante Kotoko – Ghana), Eric Ofori Antwi (Medeama SC – Ghana), Danlad Ibrahim (Asante Kotoko- Ghana)
Full Backs: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK – Greece), Gideon Mensah (Vitória de Guimarães – Portugal), Benson Annan (MLK Zilina – Slovakia), Philemon Baffuor (Dreams FC – Ghana)
Central Defenders: Nicholas Opoku (Amiens SC – France), Kasim Nuhu (1899 Hoffenheim – Germany), Ganiyu Ismael (Asante Kotoko – Ghana), Stephen Ambrosius (Hamburger SV – Germany)
Central Midfield: Kudus Mohammed (Ajax Amsterdam – Holland), Mubarak Wakaso (Jiangsu Suning F.C – China), Afriyie Acquah (Yeni Malatyaspor – Turkey), Emmanuel Lomotey (Amiens SC – France), Iddrisu Baba (RCD Mallorca – Spain), Gladson Awako (Great Olympics -Ghana), Kwame Afriyie Poku (Colchester United – England)
Left Attacking Midfield: Osman Bukari (Gent – Belgium), Joseph Esso (Dreams FC- Ghana)
Right Attacking Midfield: Kamal Sowah (OH Leuven- Belgium), Fatawu Issahaku (Steadfast FC – Ghana)
Attackers: Emmanuel Boateng (Dalian Professional- China), Emmanuel Gyasi (Spezia – Italy), Kwame Opoku (Asante Kotoko – Ghana), John Antwi (Pyramids FC – Egypt), Kwasi Okyere Wriedt (Willem II – Holland), Caleb Ekuban (Trabzonspor – Turkey).
GNA